Dismissal proceedings underway for South Yorkshire Police chief

Claire Lewis

Dismissal proceedings are underway for the suspended South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable David Crompton.

Mr Crompton was suspended on April 27 because of concerns about public trust and confidence in the force following the verdicts reached in the Hillsborough disaster inquests.

The 96 fans who died after a crush at Sheffield Wednesday's ground in 1989 when too many fans were let onto the terraces were found to have been 'unlawfully killed' with police actions 'causing or contributing' to the loss of lives.

But Mr Crompton, despite making an apology for his force's failings over the disaster in 2012, was criticised for the way South Yorkshire Police's legal team defended the force during the inquests by 're-telling discredited lies'.

Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham said the force had engaged in an 'adversarial battle' during the two year inquests.

Dr Alan Billings, the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said last month that his decision to suspend Mr Crompton was based on 'the erosion of public trust and confidence'.

He has written to the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Tom Winsor, as part of the statutory dismissal process.

But he cannot take a final decision on whether Mr Crompton should resign or retire until Sir Tom has provided his views in writing.

A spokeswoman for Commissioner Billings said: “A legal process is underway and that the Police and Crime Commissioner will not be commenting until the process is concluded."